Connector for multiple-conductor cable

ABSTRACT

An electrical connector for multiple-conductor electrical cable having a housing containing a plurality of contact means having contact tabs extending therefrom. A header block is adapted to receive the multiple-conductor cable to orient the conductors in staggered relation along two planes. The header block is insertable within the housing whereby the contact tabs will electrically engage the conductors of the cable.

United States Patent Inventor Linn Stephen Lightner Camp Hill, Pa. 763,707

Sept. 30, 1968 Apr. 6, 1971 AMP Incorporated Harrisburg, Pa.

Appl. No. Filed Patented Assignee CONNECTOR FOR MULTIPLE-CONDUCTOR CABLE 9 Claims, 9 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl 339/ 196, 339/17, 339/210, 339/275 Int. Cl I-I0lr 33/94, 1-10lr 5/04 Field of Search 339/ 196 (All), 176 (MP,MF), 17 (F), 275 (B,C), 275 (T), 275 (MAIN), 210

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8/1953 Knollman 4 Angele,

3,017,602 l/1962 Little 339/174 3,149,897 9/1964 Martineck... 339/176(MF) 3,278,887 10/1966 Travis 339/176 OTI-IER REFERENCES 2-Connectors for Flat-Conductor Flexible Cables Electrical Manufacturing, September, 1960.

Primary Examiner -Marvin A. Champion Assistant Examiner-Lawrence J. Staab Attorneys-Curtis, Morris and Safford, Marshall M.

Holcombe, William l-lintze, William J. Keating, Frederick W. Raring, John R. Hopkins, Adrian J. La Rue and Jay L. Seitchik ABSTRACT: An electrical connector for multiple-conductor electrical cable having a housing containing a plurality of contact means having contact tabs extending therefrom. A header block is adapted to receive the multiple-conductor cable to orient the conductors in staggered relation along two planes. The header block is insertable within the housing whereby the contact tabs will electrically engage the conductors of the cable.

Patented April 6, 1971 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR- L\NN STEVHEN LIGRTNEQ BY J1 L W- Patented April 6, 1971 3,573,719

2 Shuts-Shoat 2 CONNECTOR FOR MULTIPLE-CONDUCTOR CABLE This invention is directed to an electrical connector for flat or ribbon cable. A header block receives the cable and causes the individual conductors of the cable to lie within a plurality of slots formed in the header block and alternately disposed along upper and lower surfaces thereof. Contact means extending from an insulating housing have tab portions which lie within the header block slots and are preferably provided with a solder coating whereby heat may subsequently be applied to the connector to cause a solder connection between the contact tabs and the conductors of the cable.

It is, therefore, an object of the present invention to provide an electrical connector for flat or ribbon cable of relatively simple and inexpensive design A further object of the instant invention is to provide a connector having a header block of two part hermaphroditic construction.

A further object is to provide an electrical connector of miniature size to minimize the possibility of impedance mismatch through the connector.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING In the drawings in which like reference numerals refer to like parts:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view showing the various components of the connector of the instant invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the header block in position at the end of a multiple-conductor cable;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view showing the electrical connector in its assembled form;

FIG. 4 is a cross section view taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 and showing details of the connection between the cable conductors and the contact tabs;

FIG. 5 is a side elevational view showing the cable conductors alternately located within the header block;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 6-6 of FIG. 5 and showing the configuration of the conductor-receiving slots within the upper portion of the header block;

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 6 and showing a cable conductor positioned within the slot;

FIG. 8 is a cross-sectional view taken along the line 8-8 of FIG. 5 and shows details of the conductor receiving slot and the lower portion of the header block; and

FIG. 9 is a cross-sectional view similar to FIG. 8 and showing a cable conductor located within the slot in the header block.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT The attainments of the present invention will become apparent to those skilled in the art upon a reading of the following detailed description when taken in conjunction with the drawings in which there is shown and described an illustrative embodiment of the invention; it is to be understood, however, that this embodiment is not intended .to be exhaustive nor limiting of the invention but is given for purpose of illustration in order that others skilled in the art may fully understand the invention and the principles thereof and the manner of applying it in practical use so that they may modify it in various forms, each as may be best suited to the conditions of a particular use.

In FIG. 1 the various portions of the electrical connector are shown and comprise a housing 10, a header block 12, and a flat or ribbon cable 14. The cable 14 consists of a plurality of electrical conductors 16 disposed along parallel paths and insulated from each other by insulating means 18. One end of the cable has the insulation stripped therefrom as shown in FIG. 1, such stripping being accomplished by any conventional technique.

The header block 12 consists of a pair of identical halves although as an alternative simpler embodiment the header block could be formed as a single unit. The header block 12 as shown comprises an upper half 20 and a lower half 22. Each half has a plurality of slots 24 formed therein which slots extend through the upper and lower surfaces of the halves 20 and 22 as seen in FIG. 1. The slots 24 are regularly spaced along the upper and lower portions of the header block and the spacing between adjacent slots is determined by the spacing between conductors on the cable 14. The arrangement is such that adjacent slots in each portion are spaced a distance equal to twice the spacing between adjacent conductors of the cable. With this arrangement alternate conductors are located in the slots of portion 20 and the remaining conductors are located in the slots of portion 22 so that adjacent cable conductors lie in different planes separated by the header block portions.

The slots 24 are separated by land areas 26 which cause the cable conductors to enter the proper slots in the header block. These land areas have slightly tapered surfaces 28 which assist in leading the conductors into the slots. The land areas may be slightly wider than the width of slots 24 to insure proper separation between conductors. A recessed portion 30 is provided in each of the header block halves 20 and 22 and communicates with the slots 24. The portion 30 is adapted to receive the insulated portion 18 of the ribbon cable upon insertion of the cable within the header block. It may be noted at this point that the cable may either be inserted endwise into the block halves 20 and 22 after the halves are together or the cable may be placed in one of the halves and the opposite half may subsequently be brought into engagement with the cable. Either arrangement will cause the cable conductors 16 to lie in the appropriate slots 24 in the header block.

The housing 10 receives the header block 12 and has a plurality of contact means 32 disposed therein and spaced to conform with the slots 24 in the header block. The contact means 32 has contact tabs 34 extending therefrom in alignment with the slots 24 so that the tabs are caused to lie within the slots 24 when the header block is positioned within the housing 10.

The tabs 34 are preferably provided with a layer of solder plated onto the tabs so that a reliable electrical connection between the tabs and the cable conductors may be achieved by merely applying heat and flux to the connector after assembly of the various components. A representative solder connection 36 can be seen in FIG. 4.

When the entire connector is assembled the connector is secured together by suitable bolt means 38 extending through apertures 40 in the housing 10 and apertures 42 in the header block. Suitable nut means 44 are secured to the bolts 38 to secure the bolts in position. Obviously other means may be provided for maintaining the connector in assembled position.

The header block 12 may be inserted into housing 10 either prior or subsequent to entry of the ribbon cable within the header block. The preferred method, however, is for the header block and the cable to form a subassembly as shown in FIG. 2 for insertion into the housing 10.

The completed connector is then capable of being plugged into a suitable mating connector on a printed circuit board or the like to thereby electrically connect the ribbon cable 14 to the circuitry oh the printed circuit board. Alternatively the connector may be plugged into a mating connector secured to wire conductors or such other current carrying members as desired for a particular use. The entire connector of the instant invention is of extremely miniature size and thereby an impedance mismatch occuring at the point of connection is kept to a minimum. The miniature size of the connector is made possible primarily by the simplicity of the designof the header block 12.

Although a ribbon cable having.12 conductors has been shown in the drawings it is to be understood that the number of conductors in the cable and the number of slots in the header block may be varied at will without departing from the scope of the invention.

Changes in construction will occur to those skilled in the art and various apparently different modifications and embodiments may be made without departing from the scope of the invention. The matter set forth in the foregoing description and accompanying drawings is offered by way of illustration only. The actual scope of the invention is intended to be defined in the following claims when viewed in their proper perspective against the prior art.

lclaim:

l. A header block for receiving a multiple conductor electrical cable, said block comprising a first portion formed of a dielectric material, said first portion having a first plurality of regularly spaced slots disposed therein extending completely through the upper, lower, and one end surface thereof to define a plurality of spaced teeth, adjacent slots of said first plurality being spaced a distance equal to the spacing of alternate conductors of said electrical cable, a second portion formed of a dielectric material, said second portion having a second plurality of regularly spaced slots disposed therein and extending completely through the upper, lower, and one end surface thereof to define a plurality of spaced teeth, adjacent slots of said second plurality being spaced a distance equal to the spacing of alternate conductors of said electrical cable, and means holding said portions in contact with the said slots on said first portion being alternately disposed relative to said slots in said second portion.

2. A header block as set forth in claim 1 further comprising recessed means communicating with said slots and the other end of each said first and second portions for receiving the insulated portion of said cable.

3. A header block as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second portions are of like configuration.

4. A header block as set forth in claim 3 further comprising lead-in means for guiding said conductors into said first and second pluralities of slots.

5. A header block as defined in claim 4 wherein the means for guiding comprises a tapering surface on each tooth facing a slot.

6. An electrical connector for ribbon cable having the insulation stripped from an end thereof, said connector comprising an insulating housing, a plurality of apertures extending through the housing a plurality of contacts disposed in said apertures and having contact tabs extending outwardly from the housing, a header block formed of a dielectric material fixed adjacent said housing and having a plurality of slots formed therein, said slots being alternately disposed along the upper and lower surfaces of said header block, said contact tabs being positioned within said slots, and means for positioning the stripped end of said cable in said header block whereby the conductors of said cable are located in said slots in connection with said contact tabs.

7. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said last-named means comprises a tapered surface on each land between adjacent slots. of said header block for positioning conductors in the slots along a second surface of said header 8. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said header block comprises first and second halves of like configuration.

9. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 8 further comprising solder means plated on said contact tabs for forming a solder connection between said tabs and said conductors.

zgz gg UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE CERTIFICATE OF CORRECTION Patent: No. 315731719 Dated Inventor(s) LINN STEPHEN LIGHTNER It is certified that error appears in the above-identified patent and that said Letters Patent are hereby corrected as shown below:

Claim 7, column 4, line 19 after "slots." delete the remainder of the claim.

Signed and sealed this 1 3th day of July 1 971 (SEAL) Attest:

EDWARD M.FLETGHER,JR. Attesting Officer WILLIAM E. SCHUYLER, J Commissioner of Patent 

1. A header block for receiving a multiple conductor electrical cable, said block comprising a first portion formed of a dielectric material, said first portion having a first plurality of regularly spaced slots disposed therein extending completely through the upper, lower, and one end surface thereof to define a plurality of spaced teeth, adjacent slots of said first plurality being spaced a distance equal to the spacing of alternate conductors of said electrical cable, a second portion formed of a dielectric material, said second portion having a second plurality of regularly spaced slots disposed therein and extending completely through the upper, lower, and one end surface thereof to define a plurality of spaced teeth, adjacent slots of said second plurality being spaced a distance equal to the spacing of alternate conductors of said electrical cable, and means holding said portions in contact with the said slots on said first portion being alternately disposed relative to said slots in said second portion.
 2. A header block as set forth in claim 1 further comprising recessed means communicating with said slots and the other end of each said first and second portions for receiving the insulated portion of said cable.
 3. A header block as set forth in claim 1 wherein said first and second portions are of like configuration.
 4. A header block as set forth in claim 3 further comprising lead-in means for guiding said conductors into said first and second pluralities of slots.
 5. A header block as defined in claim 4 wherein the means for guiding comprises a tapering surface on each tooth facing a slot.
 6. An electrical connector for ribbon cable having the insulation stripped from an end thereof, said connector comprising an insulating housing, a plurality of apertures extending through the housing a plurality of contacts disposed in said apertures and having contact tabs extending outwardly from the housing, a header block formed of a dielectric material fixed adjacent said housing and having a plurality of slots formed therein, said slots being alternately disposed along the upper and lower surfaces of said header block, said contact tabs being positioned within said slots, and means for positioning the stripped end of said cable in said header block whereby the conductors of said cable are located in said slots in connection with said contact tabs.
 7. An eleCtrical connector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said last-named means comprises a tapered surface on each land between adjacent slots. of said header block for positioning conductors in the slots along a second surface of said header
 8. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 6 wherein said header block comprises first and second halves of like configuration.
 9. An electrical connector as set forth in claim 8 further comprising solder means plated on said contact tabs for forming a solder connection between said tabs and said conductors. 